News

EPA Releases Spring 2013 Regulatory Agenda

On July 3, EPA released its Spring 2013 Regulatory Agenda. These agendas -- which lay out the regulatory items on EPA’s agenda in both the near and long-term (and provide status updates and projected timetables for further action) – are expected to be issued twice a year. This Spring Agenda is the first agenda released since the December 2012 agenda.

Two items of particular note for the chemical industry:

The Definition of Solid Waste (DSW) rule has now been listed under the “Long-Term Action” category; the date for the final rule is now listed as “To Be Determined.” (In the December December 2012 agenda, a final rule for DSW was expected by April 2013).

Additionally, EPA now estimates that a final rule for National Uniform Standards for Storage Vessel and Transfer Operations, Equipment Leaks, Closed Vent Systems and Control Devices (i.e. “Uniform Standards”) will be released by December 2014. (In the December 2012 agenda, EPA had projected that it would issue a final rule by September 2013.)